A review of Saturday's action at the Ladbrokes UK Open, as Gerwyn Price won but James Wade and Dave Chisnall crashed out against two big outsides.
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Evening round-up (Sixth round)
Gerwyn Price underlined his Ladbrokes UK Open title credentials with another superb performance as he crushed Krzysztof Ratajski 10-3 to book his place in the quarter-finals.
The Welshman is enjoying a real purple patch in his career after landing back-to-back Players Championship events last weekend as well as maintaining an unbeaten start to the Premier League campaign - and he's emerged as one of the leading favourites to triumph at the Butlin's Minehead Resort.
The Grand Slam of Darts champion, tipped up here at 20/1 pre-tournament, fired in three 100+ checkouts including a pair of 167s during his stunning comeback against Jamie Hughes earlier in the day (more details below) and managed another three in a one-sided affair with the Polish Eagle.
The former rugby player won the opening five legs with the help of finishes from 117 and 147 while two of the others he won in 12 and 13 darts before Ratajski finally got on the board.
Price brought the crowd to their feet again when a 144 checkout completed a superb 12-darter while he won four of the next six legs to cruise into the quarter-finals with an average of 104.57, three 180s and having hit 10 of his 18 double attempts.
He may have been public enemy number one in the wake of his Grand Slam of Darts final success over Gary Anderson but performances like this are quickly turning him into a fan favourite at best and a lovable rogue at worst.
Rob Cross limped into way into the quarter-finals with a 10-6 victory over Cristo Reyes, who struggled with his game after initially making a bright start.
The 2018 world champion fell 3-0 down before back-to-back 15-darters and a sloppy 21-darter saw him restore parity although he needed 23 to take the eighth leg as both players spurned a host of doubles.
Cross edged 6-4 ahead but Reyes looked like he'd got his game back together when he took the next two, including an 82 checkout to complete a 12-darter.
The wheels quickly came off again as Voltage cruised through, finishing the job with a 134 checkout, although he won't be happy with his average of 93.54.
Michael Smith continued to make a mockery of inability to walk properly as he sauntered into the quarter-finals with a 10-3 victory over Jermaine Wattimena.
Bully Boy had emergency surgery to remove an abscess on Monday but despite being on painkillers and strapping on his wounded leg, he's now won four matches in a row including his Premier League clash with Raymond van Barneveld.
Having survived a real battle to beat Daryl Gurney 10-9 earlier in the day, the World Championship runner-up only needed 20 minutes to triumph on this occasion thanks to an average of 101.56, four 180s and a checkout percentage of 55.56% - although he was helped by a lacklustre display from the fast-throwing Machine Gun.
James Wade crashed out at the sixth-round stage after a surprise defeat to 750/1 pre-tournament outsider Ross Smith.
The Machine was the only surviving former champion left in the tournament and was also among the hot favourites to take advantage of the shock exits suffered by Michael van Gerwen and Gary Anderson on Friday night.
But Wade, who inflicted MVG's first defeat of the Premier League season on Thursday before making a strong start to his UK Open campaign with victories over James Wilson and Max Hopp, produced a below-par performance against the world number 66 from Kent.
The two-time winner had led 1-0 and 2-1 but Smith edged ahead 4-3 before a superb 112 checkout opened a two-leg cushion which he widened with back-to-back 14-darters for a 7-3 advantage.
Wade won five of the next six legs, helped by a 127 checkout, to stage a late rally but it was too little too late as the 30-year-old fired in 13 and 14 dart legs to reach the first major quarter-final of his career.
Nathan Aspinall, tipped up pre-tournament at 125/1 each-way by our Chris Hammer, staged a stunning comeback from 7-3 down to defeat Steve Lennon 10-7 on Stage Two.
The world championship semi-finalist has been in great form on the Pro Tour this season but looked as though his hopes of a first major title were coming to an end when the Irishman had a dart for an 8-3 lead.
Lennon missed his attempt at double 15 as Aspinall returned to pin two 10s for a 13-darter which began a run of four legs, which included a stunning 152 checkout.
After his opponent missed four darts at a double in the next leg, the Stockport man found himself facing a near impossible angle to hit double eight due to the positioning of his first two darts but squeezed it in for an 8-7 lead.
Afternoon round-up (Fifth round)
Michael Smith defied a troublesome groin injury to beat Daryl Gurney 10-9 and progress to the sixth round of the UK Open.
Bully Boy had been a doubt on the eve of the tournament due to surgery on an abysses last Monday despite featuring in the Premier League on Thursday, but two victories mean he's through to the sixth round and one of the favourites following defeats for Gary Anderson and Michael van Gerwen.
If Friday night's 10-5 success over John Henderson was fairly straightforward, Saturday's defeat of Gurney was anything but, Smith having to work his way back into the match having trailed 4-1 early.
The beaten World Championship finalist appeared set to complete the turnaround with a degree of comfort when, having levelled at 7-7 with a 155 finish, he won the next leg in 14 darts before a 121 finish gave him a 9-7 lead.
Gurney fought back, though, taking out 78 and then 32 for back-to-back 14-dart legs, but when he failed to take out 111 it was left to Smith to hit double 20 with his second dart and secure the most hard-fought of wins.
Gerwyn Price provided the fireworks of the afternoon, firing in two 167 finishes and another of 100 to beat Jamie Hughes 10-7.
The Grand Slam of Darts champion, tipped up here at 20/1 pre-tournament, had trailed 6-3 before the first 167 finish changed the course of the match, and after he'd edged ahead at 8-7, that 100 checkout took him within a leg of victory.
Despite Hughes opening it with a maximum, Price left himself on 167 after nine darts and his opponent could do nothing but watch and admire as the Welshman again took out the big finish.
Rob Cross underlined his status as the new favourite as he beat Mervyn King 10-5, the latter unable to match the levels achieved when beating Michael van Gerwen on Friday.
Voltage, another of our tips at 18/1, averaged 97 in an impressive performance and he'll next meet the dangerous Cristo Reyes in the last 16 on Saturday night.
Earlier on the main stage and there was incredible drama as Dimitri Van den Bergh beat Mensur Suljovic 10-9 in a match which saw both players average 97 and hit four 180s apiece.
The Belgian missed a dart at bull which would've seen him win with a 170 finish, but returned to hit double eight and seal his place in the next round.
Also on Saturday afternoon, Nathan Aspinall thrashed Madars Razma 10-2 and Dave Chisnall got the better of Martin Schindler 10-5.
World championship semi-finalist Aspinall, who meets Steve Lennon next, and Chizzy, who faces Simon Stevenson, were two other pre-tournament selections on these pages at 125/1 and 40/1 respectively.
Jonny Clayton was beaten 10-7 by Krzysztof Ratajski while Josh Payne beat Jamie Lewis 10-7, which was also the scoreline via which James Wade advanced at the expense of Max Hopp.
The sixth round matches - and you can see the full draw below - will take place on Saturday evening.
Saturday results and Sunday schedule
Saturday's Afternoon Session
(Fifth Round, Best of 19 legs)
Main Stage
- James Wade 10-7 Max Hopp
- Michael Smith 10-9 Daryl Gurney
- Mensur Suljovic 9-10 Dimitri Van den Bergh
- Mervyn King 10-5 Rob Cross
Stage Two
- Madars Razma 2-10 Nathan Aspinall
- Simon Whitlock 10-8 Gabriel Clemens
- Jamie Lewis 7-10 Josh Payne
- Jamie Hughes 7-10 Gerwyn Price
Stage Three
- Steve Beaton 10-8 Keegan Brown
- Krzysztof Ratajski 10-7 Jonny Clayton
- Simon Stevenson 10-6 Kim Huybrechts
- Jermaine Wattimena 10-8 Luke Woodhouse
Stage Four
- Mickey Mansell 8-10 Steve Lennon
- Dave Chisnall 10-5 Martin Schindler
- Ross Smith 10-5 Steve West
- Richard North 7-10 Cristo Reyes
Saturday's Evening Session
Sixth Round (Best of 19 legs)
Main Stage
- James Wade 7-10 Ross Smith
- Krzysztof Ratajski 3-10 Gerwyn Price
- Michael Smith 10-3 Jermaine Wattimena
- Rob Cross 10-6 Cristo Reyes
Stage Two
- Nathan Aspinall 10-8 Steve Lennon
- Dave Chisnall 9-10 Simon Stevenson
- Steve Beaton 10-8 Dimitri Van den Bergh
- Simon Whitlock 7-10 Josh Payne
Sunday March 3
Afternoon Session (1245 start)
TV Coverage: ITV 4
Quarter-Finals (Best of 19 legs)
All Main Stage
- Rob Cross v Josh Payne
- Michael Smith v Steve Beaton
- Simon Stevenson v Gerwyn Price
- Nathan Aspinall v Ross Smith
Evening Session (1900 start)
TV Coverage: ITV 4
- Semi-Finals (Best of 21 legs)
- Final (Best of 21 legs)
Click here for the full UK Open draw, tournament schedule and format